Safety device for automobiles.



ROBERT c.v SHEPHERD, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

`imaree.'

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. M, 1921.6.

Application led October 31, 1914. Serial-No. 869,574.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT C. SHEPHERD, acitizen of the United States, residing at .-.Los Angeles, in the'countyof Los Angeles gearconnecting rod 7.

and State of California, have invented a new and useful Safety DeviceforAutomobiles, of which the'following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a safety device forautomobiles, which will prevent the machine from veering to one side orthe other when the oper ators hands are not on the steering wheel.

When driving a car, it is quite often necessary to momentarily releasethe steering wheel, and my device operates to check the longitudinalmovement of the spindle connecting rod, and thus prevent the spindles ofthe steering wheels turning and changing the course of the machine.

The invention also aims to provide a safety device for automobiles,which may be.

made from castings having a minimum amount of machine work.

Withthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of, construction7 combination and 'arrangement of partsas will be hereinafter described, illustrated and claimed.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of anautomobile showing my safety device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the front aXle of an auto-- mobile and steering mechanism,sho-wing parts of the steering gear and also showing my safety device inposition thereon. Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view partly brokenaway, of thesafety device. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view partly inelevation taken on the plane of line 4 4; of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectionpartly in elevation on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a planview of one of the shifting fingers. Fig. 7 is a view'similar to Fig. 6showing the other shifting finger. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of one. ofthe body castings. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the other 'bodycasting. Fig. 10 is a perspective View, of the block and attaching yoke.

Referring in detail to the drawings, by numerals, l designates as anentirety an au-` tomobile having a front aXle 2, spindle bodies 3 and 4provided with rearwardly projecting steering arms 5 connected by aspindle rod 6, which is shifted by a steering In thepreferrediembodiment of my invention, l provide a body formed of twocastings 8 and 9 respectively. The casting 8 is essentially rectangularhaving a transversely curved longitudinal recess 10 in its lower side toallow the casting to rest well upon the top of a flat or curved surface.The top of the casting is formed with a pair of sockets 11, each openingonto a recessed portion 12 of the somewhat triangular extension 13 ofthe castings. The recessed portion 12 formsa pair of shoulders 14' whichare inclined outwardly from the sockets 11, and said recessed portionalso forms a lug or stopvl'at the apex of thersiiio stantiallytriangular extension 18. The top casting 9 forms aover'for the sockets11 and is rectangular ln shape and its end portions project dowrrwardlybelow the plane of the main central portion thereof to lit in endrecesses 1G and hold the top casting against longitudinal movement.These castings have no machine details, and' hence they may be made at aminimum expense. The body is 4secured to the front aXle2,preerablyintermediate its ends on the top'thereof by a pair of straps 18, saidstraps passing over the end portions of the top casting 9 in contacttherewith. l

A pair of similar ingers 19 and 20 having 'circular heads orenlargements 2l on y one end is provided for cooperation with the body,and the enlargements tit and turn within the sockets 11, as clearlyshown in Fig. 3. The lingers are formed with lugs 22 which Contact withthe lug 15, and when such a contact is maintained, the end portions 23ofthe fingers are held in parallel spaced relation. The central portionsof the fingers are bowed outwardly `in opposite`clirections and castwith ears 24 having apertures 25 extending therethrough to receive theends of the contractile spring 26, said spring serving to draw the lugs22 in contact with the lug 15, and center the rod 6 through the mediumof a block 27 rigidly secured to the rod. The block is preferablysomewhat ovicular shaped, as shown, and is secured to the top of the rod6 by a yoke 28 and nuts 29. The under side of the block is formed with atransverse recess 30, which receives the rod 6. The spring is not strongenough to be noticeable when steering the wheel -is left free to turn.It will be readily -one another, and a seen that should the `frontWheels strike some chstruction, Which would 'threev 'them to one side,one or the other, one oi the fingers, depending upon. which Way the ma`chine had trnede would act to force the rod central positioii7 shown inFie. operation is illustrated very ir- 3. 1 mobiles it etten happenslich is com-.eetcd le the 1 d which actuates tne l@ s turned so th t itmoves bevond the ceiitral f rod and when this happens it reiluhe; enigee wrench to throv.' the arm back l prevent this exncvement by having`the shoulders Llei ile that they are engaged by ust before the arm 3Greaches a deaf,l rod 'L and since the movement oi the rod 'l isdependent upon the position of the fingers E20 it will he seen that saidfingers control the distance vwhich the rod 7 may be moved and hencecontrol indirectly the movement of the arm 30.

l desire to call especial attention te the entr ne strength andsimplicity et my safety device. before stated, the principal parts met,ail be cast and may he readily assembled. fr/While el have shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment et my invention, l do not wish to belimited to this exact construction, butl may make sucn changes as williiall Within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What l claim is:

l. The combination with the spindle connecting' rod forming a part oi'the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle. o'l n safety devicecomprising; a cody formed with sockets, a pair of fingers having headson one end, said heads litting within the socll'els; the bodiY being'formed with a stop lngl between the lingers, spring means heiding thelingers nornially in Contact with said stop lug at which time the `freeends o'f the lingers are dis iosed in spaced relation to block rigidlysecured to the 'spindle connecting rod between said lingers and in thepath thereof.

9. The combination with the spindle connecting rod of a vehicle oli aiiety device "ng a hase.A lower member and member, the loner memberl'ieing ot sockets and gjnovided upper 'formed i*Vv h a pan with. anextension extending from l sockets, the upper nie; ne closing saidsockets, a pair of ingcrs inving terminal heads ittin within the socketsthe fi s projecting' over said enter-.sionl nnd being supnor the lowermember bein for ders to the eute'a mov ment of the iingers, spring meansi draivim; the ngers toward each othen n in l forme/l on seid extension,betiv fingers to limiti their nioif'ement tov other, and a block secr'ed to f connecting rod and disposed hetivee lingers in the paththereof.

3. in an automobile safety device body to be attached to the stationarypart oi, an

auton'lobile and consistim;l of an upper and a'lovfer section7 saidlower section havi sockets formed therein, an extension on lowersection, said extension and the sect-ien being recessed, a lug locatedon the entension bctu'een the sockets, said sockets opening intherecess.y said upper section being placed upon the lower section andcovering the sockets, and means oryieldingly holdingr the steeringmechanism of the automobile in center position including ngers pivotallymounted Within the sockets end being` normally engaged with opopsitesides of said lub, said lower section having shoulders on the outer sideof each socket to limit the outer movement oit theV fingers.

e. in an automobile safety device, a hase cemprising a lowersubstantially rectangular section andan upper substantially rectangularsection mounted upon the lower section said lower section having endrecesses, lugs on the ends of the upper section engaging in saidvrecesses, an extension on 'the lower section intermediate the endsthereof, a lug` carried by said extension, said lower section havingsockets therein openingr onto the extension, means for yieldinglyholding` the steering mechanism of the automobile in center positionincluding fingers pivotally normally engaging

